PORT ST. LUCIE – After nearly 20 years of service to the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County (EDC), Maureen Saltzer will be retiring effective July 3. Ahead of that change, Wicker Perlis joined the EDC as its marketing and communications manager on June 22.

Saltzer first moved to St. Lucie County in 1996 to become the publisher of The Tribune for Freedom Communications. In 1999, as incoming volunteer chair of the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce, Saltzer was among a number of community leaders who began the effort to spin off the economic development role from the chamber, ultimately creating the EDC. In early 2000, Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers purchased The Tribune and Saltzer left to, first, run Freedom’s Eastern North Carolina publications and, later, she became Freedom’s Pacific Division Community Newspapers Vice President.

Returning to the Treasure Coast in 2005, Saltzer worked in advocacy and communications positions for several organizations, often serving the EDC in both volunteer and paid consultancy roles over the next 15 years. She joined the EDC as its communications and outreach director in June 2021.

“With the post-COVID economic growth and the extraordinary success the EDC was experiencing in new business attraction, 2021 was exactly the right time to add a communications position to the team, and I was thrilled to accept the position,” said Saltzer. “It’s always been of great importance to me that the work I do have meaning that goes well beyond a paycheck. The years I’ve spent assisting the EDC and our governmental and community partners in bringing good-paying jobs to St. Lucie County certainly qualifies.”

Over the past five years, Saltzer has expanded the EDC’s communications portfolio and reach. Her work has been recognized with several statewide and international awards for website and marketing innovation.

Wicker Perlis was the St. Lucie County watchdog reporter for Treasure Coast Newspapers from September 2023 through June 2026, covering St. Lucie County’s growth, development and government. Prior to that he covered state government for the Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi, and for the Columbian Missourian.

Perlis is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Missouri – Columbia, holding a bachelor’s degree in journalism with an emphasis on print and digital news. He earned a White House Correspondents Association Scholarship award and is a James Beard Media Awards finalist.

“We’ve been very impressed with Wicker’s reporting since he began work for Treasure Coast Newspapers. Not only is his writing clear, concise and accurate, he’s demonstrated significant insight into aspects of highly complex issues that many others miss or misconstrue,” said Saltzer. “Wicker’s ability to quickly identify, break down and communicate relevant information about complicated issues will be of great value to the EDC and to the St. Lucie County community that the EDC serves.”

“I am thrilled to be joining the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County. Since moving to the Treasure Coast with my wife three years ago, I have grown familiar with the work of the EDC from afar, and I could not be more excited to join the team and advance the mission of attracting good, high-paying jobs for the people of St. Lucie County,” Perlis said. “I am grateful to Wes McCurry, Maureen Saltzer and everyone at the EDC for giving me this opportunity to continue doing what I love most, helping serve my community. Maureen’s knowledge and advocacy will be missed, at the EDC and across St. Lucie County, and I am honored to be succeeding her in this position at the end of the month.”

About the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County

The Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County (EDC) is a private,not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting economic vitality in St. Lucie County through the attraction, retention and expansion of businesses in the community. The EDC works in partnership with local governments and the private sector to advance its goals of creating more and better-paying jobs for residents, broadening the tax base and improving St. Lucie County’s economic quality of life. Contact the EDC at 772.324.2014, contact@youredc.com or www.youredc.com.